Hi, Just wanted to say that in my award letter for SSDI, the judge wrote
"the treating medical doctor's records must be given great weight", in regards to why he was granting me disability as I did not fit any one of the book of codes for disabilities.

My doctor wrote a 5 page report on why I ill and how the illness effects me. (Plus filled out all the forms SSDI requests.)

I swear that if not for my treating doctor's report I would not have received benefits.

I was turned down the first time and appealed it.

Even my Psych., doctor filled out the form for clinical depression. My lawyer said that it was my best chance for winning due to my young age, and lack of having any other approved illness for disability. He checked everything on the list, except suicidal tendencies. And he said "trust me. I know what I'm doing.", when I asked about why he filled it out the way he did.

The judge said I did *not* meet the criteria for depression, and I did not get SSDI for depression.

My age at the time was 42 or 43. So age did not help. I guess I'm just trying to say that you really never know. My case was not an easy one to prove. My lawyer was decent, not great.

FWIW,
Sunrise
PS: At the time I did not have a DX of FMS or CFS or PN! Heck, I didn't even know what was wrong with me. I just knew that I couldn't physically function.

Years later I looked up the codes they are using for me, when I was sent a letter about a possible review, and they were so vague I really couldn't figure out what they were, even after writing down the names and researching the dx's. And I'm a smart cookie!